Contents.

CONTENTS .

L EADERS 26 7 Installation of Bro . Colonel Foster Gough , I . L . D ., as Prov . G . Master :. of Staffordshire 2 fi 3 Province of North and East Yorkshire 2 ( 19 Consecration of the London Scottish Rifles Lodge , No . 2310 270 Provincial Grand Chapter of Derbyshire 271 C ORRESPONDENCERoyal Masonic Institntion for Boys 273 Reviews 273 RtpoR-rs OF MASONIC MUSTINGSCraft Masonry 27 s ; Instruction ., 276 Roval Arch—Instraction 277 Knights Templar 277

Scotland 277 Masonic Ball at Ludlow 27 S Cambridgeshire Masonic Charity Association 25 S Centenarv Festival of the Joppa I . odge , No . 188 ! 25 S Founders' Day of the Humber Lodge , No . 57 278 Proposed Grand Lodge of New Zealand ... 279 South Africa 279 Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution 279 Royal Masonic Institution for Boys 279 Supreme Grand Chapter of Victoria 279 Obituary 279 Masonic and General Tidings 280 Lodge Meetings for Next Week iv .

Ar00101

WE are now within a fortnight of the day appointed for the Festfvai ^ of'Vhe celebration of the 101 st Anniversary Festival of the Royal Girls ,. rhoo . ryi ason ; c Institution for Girls , and it becomes necessary , or at all events , desirable that we should take another look round and estimate , as far as may be , the probabilities of a reasonable subscription list being

raised towards the current expenses of the year . We are aware that as regards this particular Festival , it has been the policy of the School authorities not to place the claims of the Institution too prominently before the Craft ; firstly , because the grand result of last year ' s anniversary yielded a far larger amount than was estimated to be necessary , and secondly , in order

that the Boys' School , which undoubtedly suffered through the overwhelming interest aroused in the Girls' Centenary , might have an opportunity to repair its losses . We fully recognise the justice of these ground for taking a less active part than usual in connection with this particular Festival , but at the same time we point out that , in the case of Institutions which live on

from year to year by voluntary subscriptions , there can be no break in the continuity of appeals for money without serious injury to their pecuniary interests . We repeat also , what we have said in previous articles , that it was hardly worth while making such a tremendous effort last year , if it was to be followed on this occasion bv an almost total abstention from effort of

a serious and substantial character . However , we are rejoiced to hnd that as the day fixed for this year ' s Festival has been drawing nearer and nearer , the friends of the Girls' Institution have been exerting themselves to good purpose . Five or six weeks since the number of brethren who had enrolled themselves as Stewards was only about 100 ; now , we are glad to say , they

muster not far short of 150 , and there is still time for a few more names to be added to the list . But though the Board of Stewards has been thus very materially strengthened , it will depend on the character of the assistance which members have individually undertaken to render , whether or not a fair average of Returns is realised . There may ,

for instance , be a large proportion of those 150 brethren who will act as Unattached Stewards ; that is , they will pay their fees and qualify as Life Governors , but they will do no canvassing . In this case we must anticipate a rate of Returns which is below the average . Or it may happen , that the bulk of the Stewards will be lodge and chapter representatives ; in which case

the Returns will produce an average , or perhaps more than the average amount per list . Under any circumstances , however , we must not look for a general total in excess of about £ 6000 or between £ 6000 and ^ 7000 less than we have been in the habit of recording during the last eight or ten years . As regards the distribution of the Stewards between town and country , we

believe this will be found to be in the usual proportion , and we dare say the Chairman ' s and a few other Provinces will succeed in compiling totals that will compare favourably with the average provincial totals in ordinary years . The representatives of London lodges , though far fewer in number , will

doubtless exert themselves as usual , and we hope with the usual amount of success . Still , under the most propitious circumstances , we cannot look lor very great things atthe Festival of the 22 nd inst ., and if the result bears an ything like a due proportion to the average total , we shall have great reason to be thankful .

* - ± Report of th * ' k , rtn -g- lt since the Quarter * y General Court of the Philbrick Com- Boys' School was held , and it was arranged that the Report , lu * e of Inquiry . of the Philbrick Committee of Inquiry should be printed for

" - ••"Culation among the general body of Governors and Subscribers . But " Report has not yet been issued , and no one appears to know when it is lke -V to make its appearance . This is certainly a most unconscionable . y , and one , moreover , which will do the Institution a great amount of

arm - The Report is only about some 48 pages , and , so far as our experijj goes , should have been in the hands of the Governors last week . We ° Pe there will be no further delay , and that before our next issue appears e contents of this most mysterious Report will be known everywhere tnr ° « ghout the Craft .

Ar00102

„ THE proceedings at the annual meeting on the 30 th ult . of the Freemasonry re t , ^ 01 „•" } ,. Provincial Grand I . odge of Staffordshire passed off most satis . Stallordslnre . _ a r factorily . Quite 250 brethren were present to witness the installation of Bro . Col . GOUGH as Provincial Grand Master in succession

to Bro . Col . S . TUDOR , resigned , and as the new chief has won the esteem and respect of the Masons throughout the county , it may easily be imagined how enthusiastic was the reception he experienced . During the last 30 years Bro ! GOUGH has filled many positions in the Craft . For the last eight years he acted as Deputy to Bro . Col . TUDOR , and in that important rule

did invaluable service in strengthening and promoting the interests of Freemasonry . From 1882 to 1885 he occupied in Mark Masonry the still higher position of Provincial Grand Mark Master , while in Arch and Templar Masonry he has also done much useful work . Ir . 1883 , his Royal Highness the GRAND MASTER recognised his services by conferring upon him the post

of Grand Standard Bearer of England , and his present appointment to be the head of the Craft in the province he has been associated with for so many years is a fitting culmination to the already numerous array of honours he has received . And , while we congratulate Bro . Col . GOUGH on his promotion , we must not forget to pay a similar compliment to the province .

As Col . IUDOR remarked , at the installation of his friend and brother , , a man of more exalted rank might have been chosen for the office , which is now held by Col . GOUGH , but it would have been impossible to find a better , or one more resolute to carry out his duties most thoroughly . The key to Bro . Col . COUGH ' S character will be found in the brief remarks he made

after his investiture as Provincial Grand Master when he expressed his belief that promotion to a higher and more important office did not absolve a man from further work , but necessitated rather that he should exhibit even greater energy than before in the performance of his duties , adding that he should be governed by this principle in the conduct of his new office ,

and that he should expect other brethren to be governed by it likewise . If this spirit is observed , as we doubt not will be the case , it will be hardly possible for the Craft in Staffordshire under Col . GOUGH ' auspices to show a diminution of zeal and activity , and when in his turn-- though we trust the

time may be far distant—it devolves upon him to render an account of his stewardship , we shall probably find that the Craft has fully maintained the reputation it enjoyed under his predecessors—the late Earl of SHREWSBURY and TALBOT and Col . TUDOR .

, IT will be seen from the accounts we publish elsewhere that a Supreme Grand L Chapterof Supreme Grand Chapter of Victoria was constituted on the Victoria . same day as the United Grand Lodge , but that the original

plan of constitution as described in our article of some weeks since was departed from . In that article vve announced that the members of the three chapters warranted by the Grand Chapter of Canada , had agreed to return

their warrants to the Grand Chapter which had granted them , and enrol themselves as members of the Irish Chapter in Melbourne . Ey this arrangement all possible grounds of dissension would have been removed , and the Grand Chapter of Victoria would have included under its obedience all

the Royal Arch Masons in the Colony . But at the last moment the Canadian chapters repented them of their resolution to act towards their English , Irish , and Scotch companions in a spirit of conciliation . They announced their determination to retain their warrants , and the Grand Chapter of Victoria was accordingly constituted without their assistance . The

question now arises—How will the new G . Chapter ; act towards these ag gressive people ? Will it anathematise them or will it leave them alone ? The pretence that Victoria is unoccupied territory , which was absurd enough when there were a dozen or more lawfully constituted English , Irish , and Scotch Chapters in existence , becomes still more absurd now that there

is a Supreme Grand Chapter , which not only claims , but we daresay will exercise , supreme authority in the Colony over everything connected with Royal Arch Masonry . We trust , however , the new G . Chapter will adopt the more dignified course of not noticing the Canadian Chapters . No doubt it will forbid their members being received in the Victorian Chapters ,

but beyond this we are convinced it will be the better policy for the Grand Chapter of Victoria to treat them as if they did not exist . They cannot be a very numerous body , and as there are no lodger lodges in the colony from which it will be possible to obtain recruits , their ultimate disappearance from the scene of their wanton aggression can only be a question of time .

As regards the G . Chapter , which has our most cordial wishes for its future welfare , as it becomes older , so will it become stronger , and better able to cope successfully with this and any other difficulties which may arise . It can afford , therefore , to treat these aggressive Canadians as if they were not . and that , we repeat , is the course which we hope they will pursue ,